Arun Rao

agreed. the x3m comp is a fantastic car ... we love it. it's "pointless" in the sense that we could just have stuck with a base x3 and achieved the same level of practicality, but instead opted for a supercar-type suv which we get to push to the limit ... never :-)

TK42ONE

I've tuned three cars recently and had good experience with tunes though the follow on owners did not.

2005 Passat - APR stg 1 no issues

2017 Audi TTS - APR stg 1 no issues for me, sold it, new owner had to replace the engine after a year of ownership. When I traded, the sales guy asked me is there software on here. I said yes. Apparently, he did not relay that up the chain. Late last year GM calls me and said "did you tune the TTS?" I said yep and I told XXXX that when I traded it on the RS3.

2019 Audi RS3 - Unitronic Stg 2 E85 with TCU tune, no issues for me up to 15k miles. A couple of trips to the drag strip 10.89 in the quarter. I sold it outright to my dealer (they knew if was tuned), one of the mechanics bought it, put an additional 20k miles on it in 6 months and had a bearing go out. (37k total on the motor) Motor replacement.

On all of them I changed oil every 5k and sent to Blackstone Labs for analysis. Never had any tell tale signs of problems. Not sure if new owners maintained in the same way or how they drove.

Will I tune the 992? Maybe, maybe not. I haven't decided yet but as stated above do your research, be meticulous about maintenance, and remember it is always pay to play.

Tupper

While we're on the topic of stupidly fast SUVs, yesterday in the parking lot of my usual yuppified grocery store I saw a BMW X6M parked.

WOW what a beauty! I saw the owner and spoke to him briefly, complimented him on his new car.

phaser

Your X3M is actually faster than most "sports cars" un tuned. They are sub 3 second machines with the right ECM calibration. I'm actually thinking about one to hold me over until 992 availability loosens up. I would absolutely tune it.

991.1 Guy

Since we’re talking fast SUV’s, I have a tuned AMG GLA 45 as a daily that I love to drive. Smaller and lighter than most full size SUV’s but still practical. Surfboards and bicycles can fit inside or on top. I think the little 2 liter 4 cylinder turbo puts out 415 hp and the car has a “race start” that is pretty sick with the all wheel drive. In Europe they are the A45. It replaced my Mazda speed 3 MT. 👍🏻

but did you die

that has to be the creepiest thing another man has said to me on the interwebs

BIGWORM

That's not what I meant. But that's damn funny.

Arun Rao

hey folks - quick update. I haven't had the car dyno'd yet, but over the last 200 miles of so of driving, the car has become significantly / noticeably peppier. my butt dyno can feel a huge difference in throttle response. i don't think i an dreaming - there definitely seems to be a huge improvement. i have an email out to the tuner to ask if this is expected (fwiw he did tell me it would take 30-40 miles for the tune to be noticeable, but it certainly wasn't noticeable for the first 300 miles - but now, there is suddenly a hugely noticeable improvement over the last 250 miles ... crazy!).

interested in hearing this forum's thoughts - have i lost my mind?

Tupper

^ Glad to hear! I was getting worried for you there for a second.

But here is a question for you all: if an ECU tune changes settings, why is there a delay at all for when you see a change? Shouldn’t the change in the car’s performance be instant?

phaser

A flash of your ECU with a 100+ square increase in power as demonstrated quantitatively will show its teeth immediately(your dyno sheet from tuning day encounter). This is why a tuner secures your car on his dyno, runs a baseline, then works his parameters etc., runs it up again on the dyno and sees the gains right now. Its not as if you need to drive the car for a thousand miles and come back to quantify the resulting power output deltas. Modern ECUs are incredibly complex and adaptive in regards to long and short term fuel trim adaptations, PE values, open and closed loop protocols, with a gazillion look up tables being utilized at light speed. Your ECU will adapt to a degree to the changes made as you operate the vehicle after tuning where you could see some changes but the lions share will be immediate.
The results of an ECU recalibration are not an all or none proposition that enters the room at some future date.

Arun Rao

ok, so does this mean my butt dyno wasn't working for the first 200 miles and has since started working?

phaser

Can't help you with your *** sensitivity, LOL.
There are quite a number of before during and after tuning sessions on YouTube. The TQ/HP gains are quantitatively well demonstrated immediately which is no reflection on your butt dyno.
I've read a number of posts from guys who report the feel of additional power after racking up some miles post tune.
One thing is for certain, there is a decent amount of easily obtainable power left on the table with these turbocharged 3.0L engines as there is with most stock, blown, motors.

surquhar

Yes unfortunately it does. The first thing these tunes so is increase boost. You will feel that immediately. Yes all the other 100 things they tweak may take 50 miles or so for your ECU to adapt and dial in, but on your first drive you should immediately feel the difference.

SBAD

Your words resonate with me. Also, why does no one talk about WEIGHT and BRAKING and the FEEL of the drive? Hard acceleration is fun and easy. But some of us also love the feeling of lightness and quick body transitions without roll and most importantly - the ability to brake hard and feel the tires dance between massive deceleration and disaster :-) Weight is the ultimate enemy of handling and all SUVs are relative pigs with more weight and a HIGHER center of gravity.

.2PDK

So much potential here...